University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
NC State
Volleyball Opens ACC Play This Weekend
September 20, 2017 | Volleyball
CHAPEL HILL - North Carolina (3-5) opens Atlantic Coast Conference play this weekend, traveling across the Triangle to NC State (5-6) on Friday night, then returning home on Sunday, Sept. 24, to host Louisville (6-4). The Tar Heels, who opened the season ranked No. 11 in the AVCA Preseason Poll, struggled throughout nonconference play, finishing 3-5. Of those five losses, three of them were to the teams ranked No. 1 (Minnesota), No. 3 (Florida) and No. 5 (Wisconsin) in this week's AVCA Poll, all of which remain undefeated on the season.
Friday, Sept. 22 | 7 p.m.
North Carolina (3-5) at NC State (5-6)
Where: Reynolds Coliseum
Admission: $7 adults, $5 youth | Buy Tickets
Watch: ACC Network Extra
Stats: SideArm
Sunday, Sept. 24 | 1 p.m.
North Carolina (3-5) vs. Louisville (6-4)
Where: Carmichael Arena
Admission: FREE
Watch: ACC Network Extra
Stats: UNCLiveStats.com
Against the Field
North Carolina has faced NC State more times than any other opponent in program history, going a tremendous 85-30 all time against the Wolfpack. Duke is the only other team that UNC has even faced 85 times. The Wolfpack has had the majority of its success at home, as UNC is 34-16 in Raleigh as compared to 37-8 at home. UNC is 52-10 all time in ACC play, and brings a 10-match winning streak into Friday's match. Carolina has won 39 of the last 41 matches dating back to 1998, including a 25-match winning streak that spanned more than a decade.
UNC is 7-3 all time against Louisville, including a perfect 3-0 since the Cardinals joined the ACC. Carolina has not lost to the Cardinals since 1992, a 3-0 loss in Louisville, bringing a four-match winning streak into Sunday's match. The Heels are 2-1 all time against U of L in Chapel Hill, including a 3-1 victory on Oct. 30, 2015, in their only ACC home match against the Cardinals.
Carlton Records First Triple-Double Since 2005
On Sept. 16, redshirt freshman Holly Carlton posted 25 assists, 10 kills and 10 digs against Coastal Carolina, registering the first UNC triple-double since 2005 and just the third in the rally-scoring era. Carlton finished the triple-double by notching her 10th dig during the fourth set, before the Heels beat the Chanticleers, 3-2. Carlton is one of 14 players in the nation to record a triple-double this season and the second in the ACC (Kylie Pickrell, NC State). Taylor Smith (Eastern Illinois) leads the nation with three triple-doubles on the year.
Tar Heel Triple-Doubles in the Rally-Scoring Era (since 2001)
- Malaika Underwood vs. South Carolina (W, 3-1) - Nov. 29, 2001 - 12 kills, 11 assists, 10 digs
- McKenzie Byrd vs. Wake Forest (W, 3-2) - Nov. 6, 2005 - 10 kills, 59 assists, 10 digs
- Holly Carlton vs. Coastal Carolina (W, 3-2) - Sept. 16, 2017 - 10 kills, 25 assists, 10 digs
Nordhorn Hitting High
Senior middle hitter Beth Nordhorn has exploded offensively this season, recording double-digit kills in five of eight matches, hitting .400 or higher in all five. Nordhorn has hit over .500 with double-digit kills three times, including hitting .615 with 10 kills on 13 swings (two errors) against LIU Brooklyn. Nordhorn is averaging 4.7 swings per set and has not made more than three errors in a match. The Tar Heel senior leads the ACC and ranks 15th in the nation with a .427 season hitting percentage.
Nordhorn did not see a lot of playing time over her first 2.5 seasons, but after an injury to Sydnye Fields allowed her to start the final 11 matches of 2016, Nordhorn finished her junior year with an ACC-leading .446 season hitting percentage, while leading the conference with a .403 clip during ACC play. The next-best conference player hit .359 on the year, nearly .100 points lower than Nordhorn. She did not meet the minimum playing requirements to be ranked nationally last season, playing in just 60 percent of UNC's sets (req. 66.7%), but her .446 clip beat 2016 NCAA leader Emma Hagedom (UMKC), who finished with a .439 hitting percentage last season.
